Traction-wheel



(No Model.)

. O. D. BUSSONG'.

TRAGTION WHEEL.

No. 257,467. Patented May 9,1882.

UNITED -STAT-ns PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES D. BUSSONG, on ST. JACOBS, ILLINOIS.

TRACTION-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 257,467, dated May 9, 1882.

(No model.)

To all 'whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES D. BUssoN a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Jacobs, Madison county,and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Traction- Wheel, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved traction-wheel, specially designed for that class of locomotive road or traction engines employed for farm or agricultural uses. The ordinary traction-wheels of the class referred to have cogs or teeth forming part of the perimeter or tire, in order to give the vehicle the required frictional hold upon the roadway. However, the open spaces between the said cogs frequently become filled and clogged with rubbish and eartlnwhielrfurther becomeshardened from the rolling action ofthe wheel. Finallythe surface ot'the tire of the wheel becomes smooth and slips, or fails to obtain sufiicient traction upon the earth to insure a proper propulsion of the vehicle.

My invention is designed to better the truetion action of the said ordinary wheels by further providing same with the combination of parts, to operate in the manner, now to be more fully described.

()t' the drawings, Figure 1 is aside elevation of my improved wheel. Fig.2 isaplan View; Fig. 3, a vertical section on line .90 Figs. 4 and 5 are respective enlarged sectional views of portions of the wheel-tirc having my improvements applied thereto, the former figure beingalongitudinal section whilethe latter tigare is a transverse section of the said parts.

Similar letters refer to similar parts through out the several views.

A is the wheel proper. B is the hub. (J is the tire or perimeter. 0 represents the cogs, and c the open spaces between the cogs, all said parts being constructed as usual to constitute the ordinary traction-wheel.

D isa casting or housing, having flanges at d d, the internal space or cba-mber,cl, which further, at (1 presents a shoulder, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4, and 5. By means of the flanges and bolts the housing D can he firmly secured to the wheel,-between the spokes thereof, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 4. The chamber (1 of the housing contains a spring and a lug or tooth capable of reciprocating, as hereinafter will appear. The shoulder (1 serves as a bearing surt'aee and a stop for the sliding lug or tooth.

E is the sliding or reciprocating lug or tooth, having a stem, E, and said parts are preferably shaped as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5. The-function of the sliding tooth E is to assist the wheel A. in taking a better grip, hold, or traction upon the ground; and said tooth is made reciprocating, so that it shall project be yond the tire or cogs of the wheel for traction purposes, and also be capable of receding sufticiently back of the tire of the wheel so as not to interfere with the proper rolling action of the wheel. Hence the tooth E and its stem are arranged within its housing, D, so that one end of the stem shall project through the opening at one end of thehousing, while the tooth E extends through a corresponding opening made in the circumferential portions of the wheel, and so that a portion of the tooth projects outside the wheel-surface, as shownin the figures. The pin 6, passing through the stem E, prevents the tooth E from dropping out of its housing.

F isa spiral or suitable spring which surrounds the stem E. One end of the spring abuts against the inside of the housing I), the other end of the spring against the shoulder f of the sliding tooth. (See Figs. 3, 4, and 5.)

The spring automatically forces the sliding tooth to its original positionviz., to project beyondthecircumference of the wheel. 1 therefore provide thetraction-wheel A with a series of the like housing D, each containing a sliding tooth and stem and spring; and I arrange said parts so that between every two spokes of the wheel a sliding tooth shall project beyond the wheel circumference, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

The wheel A thus improved, the operation of the parts is as follows: As the vehicle is drawn along or the wheels roll over the ground each projecting teeth at proper times approaches and strikes the ground and formsatoothold for the wheel, or gives same a greater hold or contact with the ground. This done, and the wheel continuing its movement, and owing to forces the tooth to again project beyond'the' wheel-surface. The employment of the said reciprocating lugs or teeth, in combination with traction-wheels having diagonal cogs, also possesses the advantage of keeping some of said cogs free from becoming clogged.

I am aware that the periphery or tread of wheels has been provided with one or more series of radial feet which yield by compression as the wheel advances, and again projectas the resistance is removed, nor do 1 clainr such; but

What I do claim is The improved traction-wheel consisting of the combination of the wheel A, the periphery or tread of which has cogs c and the open spaces 0, the series of housings D, each having flanges d d, internal hollow, d, the shoulder at d and'each of'said housings containing a sliding lug or tooth, E, forming part of a stem, E, having shoulder at f, and the spring F, all said parts arranged and operating substantially in the manner andfor the purposes set forth.

In testimony of said invention I have hereunto set my hand.'

CHARLES D. BUSSONG.

Witnesses:

J oHN-W. HERT'HEL, WILLIAM'W. HERTHEL. 

